Isael Sanchez, who strangled his girlfriend in a fit of rage last year before fleeing the state with his children, was sentenced Friday to a 10-year executed sentence.

A jury found Sanchez guilty in April of voluntary manslaughter, a Class B felony, for the slaying of 25-year-old Marisol Arze-Lujan. He originally was charged with murder but the jury convicted him of the lesser charge.

“I can hear them crying for their mother,” he said, noting that one day he’ll have to confess to them as well.

Defense attorney Matt Sandy said his client hopes to continue supporting his children financially and one day have a relationship with them again.

Sandy argued that Sanchez should be sentenced to just eight years incarcerated because he fully cooperated with investigators, took responsibility for his actions and exhibits a low risk to re-offend, according to the pre-sentence investigation.

Those who know Sanchez describe him as kind, hard-working and especially caring toward his family, Sandy said.

Prosecuting attorney Kristen McVey countered Sandy’s argument, saying that Sanchez didn’t even try to resuscitate his girlfriend before fleeing. She said that Sanchez and his family lied to investigators, exhibiting a disrespect for the law.

Though the two misdemeanor convictions on Sanchez’s record for driving without a license are far less severe than his manslaughter conviction, McVey said Sanchez further exhibited a disregard for “lawful social norms” even after being punished.

“The fact remains that he’s been driving for 15 years without a license,” she said.

McVey said five police reports dating back to 2007 clearly and accurately depict Sanchez’ relationship with his girlfriend as bearing the hallmarks of domestic abuse. Accounts given in those reports by multiple people, including Arze-Lujan herself, point to chronic issues of control and aggression by Sanchez, McVey said.

“This was not an anomaly that he killed her,” she said.

McVey asked the judge for a 20-year executed sentence, prompting a quizzical tone from Daniel.

“You think this was the worst of the worst?” Daniel asked.

McVey responded in the affirmative.

“This day was coming for a long time prior to the killing,” she said.

Daniel determined that the aggravating and mitigating factors in Sanchez’s case were roughly equivalent, so he settled on the advisory sentence set by the state legislature for a Class B felony.